Lower Dolpo Trek

Scenically and culturally Lower Dolpo trekking is an attractive destination. Lower Dolpo trek Nepal crosses over the high passes Baga La (5190 m), Numa La (5159 m) and arrives at high Himalayan valleys. The main features of Lower Dolpo treks are Shey Phoksundo Lake, Buddhist monasteries and traditional culture.Besides the Dolpo cultural experience the trek to Dolpo features various rare and endangered species of wildlife and plants.Trekking to Lower Dolpo is also known as Exploration of beautiful himalayan glacier lakes Phoksundo, Shey Phokshundo Lake trekking and Shey Phoksundo trekking in Nepal.We provide detailed itinerary for Lower Dolpo trekking.

Day 01: Arrival day in Kathmandu [1,300m/4,264 ft] Upon your arrival in the Kathmandu airport (TIA), you will be greeted by a representative from Alfresco Adventure Travel. After completing your custom formalities (Visa, etc) pick up your luggage and look for our representative with a Alfresco Adventure Travel display board at the arrival gate. You will be then transferred to hotel. After check in, you can either take a rest, hang around in the city, visit our office; it all depends upon your interests and condition. In the evening we will organize a Welcome Dinner at an excellent traditional Nepalese Restaurant where you will enjoy a Nepalese cultural program as well as a fine meal.

Day 02: Kathmandu valley sightseeing & trek preparationWe start a guided tour to four of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu. Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the medieval Kings who ruled over the then Kathmandu Kingdom. Pashupatinath houses a sacred lingum, or the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. The Aryaghat alongside Pashupati and on the banks of the Bagmati River is a famous funeral site for the Hindus. The Buddhists shrine of Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world, and one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist destinations in Kathmandu. The area of Boudhnath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan Gompas or monasteries. Swayambhu meaning the "the self-existent" is popular among the foreigners as the Monkey Temple owing to the large number of monkey population residing in the area. Overnight at Kathmandu. Breakfast (B)

Day 03:Kathmandu to NepalgunjWe have to fly to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. Nepalgunj is the jumping-off place for flights and busses throughout western Nepal. Unfortunately there is no connecting flight to Jumla (the start of our trek), so we will spend the night here.

Day 4:NEPALGUNJ – JUMLA – GOTHICHAUR

Early in the morning you will be transferred to the Nepalgunj Airport for the flight to Jumla. From Jumla the trek leads to a southwesterly direction then passes through terraced fields of wheat, potato, barley and some small villages. It is a pleasant day's walk to the village of Gothichour having opportunity to encounter with Dolpo-pa traders with their caravans of pack animals, laden with salt from Tibet, headed for the middle hills.

Day 5:GOTHICHAUR – CHURTA

From here, the trail continues southwest to Manisangu, where you will need to show your trekking permit. After this has been examined you will continue to Sherpa Gaon where you will have the opportunity to witness Sherpa culture. From Sherpa Gaon the trail follows a series of ups and downs to the village of Churta.

Day 6:CHURTA – CHAURIKOT

After a long day of constant climbing through hamlets, and the occasional forests, cross the first of the high passes on this trip - the Mauri La (4326m). From the pass you descend to the village of Chaurikot and on to the camp. It is very likely that as you pass through villages in this region people will flock out of their houses to see you. Do not be alarmed. Some of these people have never seen westerners before and are curious to find out more about them. You should ask for permission before taking photographs. People who have not seen cameras, ever, do not like strange objects, which make funny sounds pointed at them

Day 7:CHAURIKOT – BHERI RIVER SIDE

From Chaurikot you follow a series of ups and downs to the village of Rimi, high above the north bank of the Bheri River. Get ahead of some villages inhabited by blacksmiths and tailors. The trail drops to a stream before climbing through a forest of walnut trees to a ridge.

Day 8:BHERI RIVER SIDE – KANGMARA (3500m)

Today you will head northwest along the Garpung Khola, which is a major tributary of the Bheri to Hurikot. Continuing from Hurikot you will cross the Garpung Khola to its southern bank and reach Kagmara.

Day 9:REST DAY

This is a day for you to spend for proper acclimatization and to get some genuine rest after the strenuous trekking of the last couple of days. You will need to go to bed early today to be able to wake up and make a very early start tomorrow.

Day 10: KAGMARA – CHAURI KHARKA

Waking up early you start out, upwards, for the Kagmara-La prior to the day gets hot and the sun melts the snow (when there is some), making ascent difficult. This is going to be a long day. On the ascent to the pass the forest at first is quite dense and sighting are possible of the Red Panda and various kinds of birds. On the rare occasion you may be lucky to see markings of the blue sheep, black bear, snow leopard or the Himalayan wolf. On still rare occasions you may see the animals themselves. After crossing the Kagmara_La, the trail descends to Chouri Kharka from where magnificent views of the Kajiroba Himal are available. After descending for some time you arrive at a birch forest where water is available. Your camp will be set up at a grassy spot near the forest.

Day 11:CHAURI KHARKA – RINGMO

From Chauri Kharka you will descend further to Dorjan Khola. Carry on through the village of Pungmo to Suli Khola and then turning north you continue to the village of Ringmo. Ringmo is one of the enclaves where Bon Po is still practiced and is situated very close to Phoksundo Lake.

Day 12:REST DAY

The icy waters give off a blue to turquoise color and a sunny day by the lake gives you some much needed rest. If the weather is good, you can view the peaks of the Kanjiroba Himal and the other peaks surrounding Kagmara-La.

Day 13:RINGMO – SUMDOWA

Set off from Ringmo, heading south back over the previous trail as far as the point where the trail meets the one from Kagmara-La and then proceed further south to the village of Sumdowa. The headquarters of the National Park is located at Sumdowa.

Day 14:SUMDOWA – HANKE

Trek further south along the Suligad River to the village of Hanke on the east bank of the Suligad River. This is a typical village, which depicts Dolpeli Culture and lifestyle.

Day 15:HANKE – JUPHAL

Today’s trek is a rewarding trek in the sense that you will witness the highest waterfall of Nepal. Continue trekking south through the village of Roha Gaon to the settlement at Suligad along the river and then continue to the large settlement of Dunai. Cross the river and head west towards the airfield at Juphal from where you will catch your flight to Nepalgunj and then to Kathmandu.

Day 16:JUPHAL – NEPALGUNJ

This morning you proceed to check in the airport and then you will be transferred to Juphal Airport for your flight to Nepalgunj. The remainder of the day has been left free.

Day 17:NEPALGUNJ – KATHMANDU

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the Nepalgunj Airport to catch the flight to Kathmandu. The remainder of the day has been left free.

Day 18:FREE DAY IN KATHMANDU

After breakfast you are free on your own in Kathmandu. You will be served with Traditional Nepali Dinner.

Day 19:DEPARTURE

After breakfast is leisure for you until time to leave the international airport for your final destination.

A) Our philosophy results in smaller groups (often 10-12 participants) to maximise everyone's enjoyment and safety. Maximum and minimum group size is specified for each adventure. Private groups may choose to have a larger (or smaller) group and we'll work with you to design just the adventure you're after.

Q) What type of people comes along?

A) Our trips tend to attract a wide range of people, both women and men, from about 20 to 60 or more years old, with an extremely wide range of travel and climbing experience. Participants tend to be seeking a good quality, safe, well supported, good value and enjoyable adventure rather than the lowest cost. We have a good proportion of return clients, referrals from return clients and people who have found us by word of mouth, and it is not uncommon for people to invite their spouse, friends or adult children on their next adventure, particularly for trekking trips. The nationalities of our clients are also varied, but we do have a high proportion of Australians as well as people form the UK, New Zealand, USA, South Africa and more. Most participants make the effort to prepare for their adventure which helps make life enjoyable for everyone.

Q) Am I too old? Is my child too young?

A) Reasonable physical and mental ability are required on many Arun adventures, and we're very happy to talk to you about any specific concerns you may have. We do ask participants to get their doctor's approval and require our participants to provide some medical history so our leaders can be appropriately prepared while they are in the field. Young children may find the rigours of trekking require more resilience than they are used to. In short - it very much depends on the person. You will find guidance on preparing for your trek on each adventure's web page (search here), our info packs and trip dossiers.

Q) Who is the leader?

A) Alfresco adventures are led by experienced, capable, first-aid qualified and personable guides. On Himalayan adventures your guide will have specialist experience in expeditions and altitude and for climbs may be a Sherpa mountain guide trained under the NMIA or equivalents to UIAGM system.

Q) What about the local staff?

A) Our local staff have a vital role (in fact many roles!) to play in making your adventure a wonderful experience. We carefully select good people and help them to build their skills and competencies through formal and informal training and immersion in our adventures. We're sure you'll enjoy the experience of sharing a walk with the locals, and having the opportunity to learn from them about their world and perspectives. The high level of service we like to provide means that camping treks and climbs usually have quite a number of staff, including kitchen staff, porters and local sherpas or guides. Alfresco supports the good work of the IPPG (International Porter Protection Group) and places a high level of importance on the health, safety and well-being of our local staff and provide accommodation and food for our local staff.

Q) Will we be camping?

A) Another aspect that varies with the specific adventure, but many of our treks and all of our climbs journey from comfortable hotel to pretty comfortable camping and back again (which always makes that hotel feel good!). We find that individual tents work well, as do double-thickness sleeping mats and trip-specific sleeping bags. In the Khumbu and Annapurna regions we use the incredible infrastructure and stay in 'teahouses'. These are often fairly Spartan twin rooms with walls, window and a simple bed. Our trekkers (including on the trekking phase of our climbing adventures) dine in a shelter or tent at a tables and chairs which makes life more comfortable! In many places we can often arrange a small amount of electricity for charging cameras etc, but this is not always possible.

Q) What's the food like?

A) Food arrangements are specific to each adventure, but we provide three meals a day while on the track. In cities we provide breakfast and, depending on the trip and the nature of the activities may also cater for lunch and dinner for the group. In the Himalayas our kitchen staffs have been training for years and work magic over gas or kerosene stoves in their kitchen tent.

While trekking our cooks prepare a varied menu of wholesome, tasty and plentiful food using fresh ingredients where possible. A trekking breakfast in the Himalayas usually includes cooked foods e.g. egg, tomatoes, cereal or porridge, toast & spreads and fruit. Lunch is often soup and a packed lunch, or a cooked lunch.

Dinners are generally soup, a main meal (one of many Asian or European style dishes) veges, and a dessert (fruit to custard to baked apple pie!)

Drinking water: will be provided at camps (collected with care, filtered, treated with chemicals and/or boiled), and at lunch time where possible. It is wise to carry a small amount of purifying chemicals (e.g. Iodine or chlorine) with you, in case you happen to need water at an odd time. In the developing world care should be taken to avoid untreated water and potentially contaminated foods like uncooked salads and some fruit. Bottled water is available in cities, but of course you can treat tap water in your own bottle too.

Q) Toilet facilities en route?

A) Always carry your own loo paper Good toilet facilities are usually available in hotels & restaurants While trekking an expedition toilet tent/shack and pit will often be prepared away from tracks, camps and water resources.

Q) Do I need to have trekking experience?

A) Some outdoor experience will make your trek less confronting and thus probably more enjoyable. Look for more info in the pages about your trip of interest.

Q) Will I have to carry a lot of weight?

A) The Alfresco philosophy is about supporting you to succeed, so we use porters (or yaks, horses etc) to transport our group equipment as well as your own bag of trekking gear, so you will be able to trek with a day pack. Those on climbing adventures should check the trip info pack.

Q) What should I bring?

A) There is a comprehensive gear list for each adventure, but in short: good footwear, layers of breathable clothing for day and night, day pack, trekking poles (they seem to help relieve stress on knees and ankles), and tools to enjoy your adventure.

Q) What if I get sick or have an accident?

A) Despite the best precautions, people do sometimes fall ill, sprain something or develop symptoms of AMS. Our expedition leaders will manage your care keeping in mind what's best for you and the rest of the group. Our precautions include first aid qualifications and kits, emergency communications, evacuation plans, your travel insurance cover and our pre-preparation and medical advisors.

Q) What about altitude sickness?

A) AMS Acute Mountain Sickness (or altitude sickness) is the body reacting to the stress of high altitude. It is a concern for trekkers in the Himalayas and elsewhere above about, approximately, say (is that enough vagueness!) 3,000m. Exposure to high altitude can lead to a number of 'normal' physiological reactions as well as mild to extremely serious illness and even death. Arun takes the risk of AMS seriously and work hard to avoid and minimise it. We ask our adventurers to do the same and we educate, coach and monitor our trekkers and climbers in how to take care of themselves and each other and what to look out for. Our treks are designed with relatively slow acclimatisation schedules, rest days and alternative options. And we have medications and a number of management strategies in place should they be required. Don't be unduly concerned, but please talk to us if you have questions.

Q) I don't have much time, can't we do it quicker?

A) Our adventures are designed around what we feel is the optimum itinerary, which incorporates adequate time for the suitably fit participant to do the trek comfortably; a little flexibility for weather, illness, unforeseen delays; time to enjoy the experience, your trek colleagues and staff; learn about your surroundings if you wish; and, for altitude adventures, a fairly slow acclimatisation regime to minimise the risk of altitude sickness and maximise your chance of reaching your goals. All while also trying to minimise your time away from home. We would generally not recommend shorter itineraries (such as those used by less scrupulous operators) unless you were genuinely prepared to turn back if you (or your travel companion) becomes affected by AMS. If you really don't have the time available, we can perhaps suggest an alternative itinerary that will work for you.

Q) I've heard there is good rafting/safaris/diving. Can I do that?

A) We can certainly arrange for you to visit one of Nepal's several national parks where you may be lucky enough to spot a tiger or leopard, bear or rhino from atop an elephant, on foot or in a jeep. You may also like to take a white water raft down one of the fabulous Himalayan Rivers for a few hours or a few days. Or a mountain biking trip, a leisurely stay by lovely Lake Phewa in Pokhara (where, incidentally, you could fly with the eagles in a tandem paraglider), or have a guided tour of one of the Kathmandu Valley's ancient cities. There are adventures enough in Nepal to keep you busy for months!

Q) My friend would like to visit, but isn't really interested in the trekking...

A) Your friend, spouse, family, colleagues may like to join you in our base city at the beginning or end of your trek. We can easily arrange extra accommodation, and places on our day tours, but we may also be able to arrange a series of day trips, a short relaxing trip into the country-side or an island, scenic flights above the Himalayas, wildlife safaris and so on. Ask us for ideas, or suggest your own.

Our Activities

Why Travel With Us?

Alfresco Adventure Travel is an adventure organization in Nepal, dealing with hiking/trekking, climbing expeditions, tours, white water rafting, filming, research program in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Fully aware of the potential that our country has to offer the traveler in search of a new horizon, another adventure, we endeavor to improve upon the rustic facilities of the remote without changing the pristine naturalness of the setting.

Customer Reviews

Last time in Nov, 2010, when we were there in Nepal for our Holidays, Alfresco Adventure Travel provided us very good services. We did Mountain flights, Paragliding, short trek of Annapurna & safari in chitwan. Thanks a lot Gautam for your excellent arrangements. See you again in Nepal.
Catherine & Tony Brown,
Romford
Essex RM1 1RX, UK